Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-06-07
The Fifth w ARD Fraud.

The Cincinnati, Chicago, Indlanapo-
lis Democratic plan Of holding elections
hss been tried in Wllmin xton, but
whether 4: will succeed as 1t did In
Cincinnati remains yet to be seen. In
the large cities named tho stake WAS
the election Of . United States Sens-
tor; In Wilmington 1t WAS but the cleo
tlon o. = City Councilman, at . time
when 1t could rot even change the Po-
lidcal 90 plexlon Of that body. 1t 10
not likely that the blatant scheme OF
fraud In the Tenth district OF the Filth
ward will succeed in preventing Mr..
Bower from taking his seat In the City
Counoil, but suppose the political COM
p'exion Of that body had depended
upon the admission OF Mr.. Bower the
c..e might have been far different.
Wh,n We now see the case In all Its
naked ugliness We oAn hardly conceive
that such . bold attempt to rob the
Fifth ward OF IN honestly elected Coun.
Gilman should have been made. II Is
worth while to follow the counting OF
the ballots OF the Tenth district In
order to see the length to which model
Democratic election inspectors will go
TO carry point. The first count OF
the ballots stood 100 for Bower and Sc
for II ASSOC, the total agreeing with the
tally sheet except one. No doubt this
was the true and correct count and the
majority for Bower WAS In sym patty
with the political sentiment OF the dis
trlos. Tais did not suit the Democratic
inspector, Tho no doubt had orders to
sax thiugs" by the political managers
ut his back. Something had to be
done, It WAS evident the DISTRICT had
gone differently from what the Demo.
cratic managers had intended. In
stead Of closing the count and sealing
MP the box 30, the Democratic inspector
got up and left the room, and when he
returned for the frst time tickets were
found lying upon the floor. He de-
manded . new count. The tickets on
the fl Dor were gathered up and put In
the box. Another count WAS made
and this time Bower had 105 votes and
HAsson 102, agreeing still with the
tally sheets. After long wrangle 1;
was agreed to sign the returns upon
that basis. Bat 1t was found that even
this change did not elect Hasson.
Something more must be done. The
ballots needed more tAmpering The
third count WAS begun and proceeded
with until . dezsn Democratic ballots
were found in . bunch that had no
oreAses In them and which had never
been voted. This was Q little too
much for the Republican inspector and
clerk, who refused to proceed farther
with the count and very properly re-
fused to sign any returns. IL was then
that the Democratic inspectors became
-a~ious m s'zn the second count. but
the kepu ollcans very Psapsrly lett the
whole corrupt mass with the Demo
cratic inspectors to doctor rs they
pleased. 1t was 10 O'Clock when the
Republican inspectors left. Two hour,
were spen. by the Democratic iuspec'
tors somewhere, and o. II o'clock ths
returns were made to the clerk OF the
Council with the count fully made
the tall sheet made to agree and tn,
result standing l22 votes for Nj,
Bo yer and 26l for Mr.. Ha.son.
THIS i, the only return tia. has beer
made to the City Coane!l. I; will b.
awaited with interes. to sec what tina
body will do with It. 115 Democrat;
ballots have bsen stuffed into the balio
box OF toe Tenth district that wer
never voted and have been counted 10
tie Democrat, candidate Tor Council!
Mr. Bower has been elected by 10
p>jority, busa stuffed ballot box give
Ha,son Il maj )rlty. Wtl q Demo
cratic City O1uncil endorse snch
pllpable fraud, and admitting H,,so
tos sea; compel Mr.. Bower to make
Contest? Hasson's vote of course
needed TO carry out certain arrange
program, but le. US see whether u
Rttemp. will be made to sent him.